Mangel på majs i Zimbabwe får regeringen til at genoverveje sit forbud mod import af génsplejset (GMO) majs. Det sydafrikanske land har i tidligere krisesituationer tilladt import af forarbejdede GMO-afgrøder.
HARARE, 4. March, 2013 (IRIN): A major shortage of maize has sent the price of maize meal, used for porridge and poultry feed, spiralling in Zimbabwe, prompting traders to lobby the government to consider importing genetically modified (GM) maize.
The grain milling industry in Zimbabwe, which includes maize-meal and livestock-feed manufacturers, says their current stocks will not last until the new harvest season in May-June. The country’s Agricultural Marketing Association has warned the government of an impending crisis.
Zimbabwe, along with Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, has long resisted importing GM maize.
Most of the maize grown in neighbouring South Africa – which is the largest maize producer in the region, and which usually has a surplus to export – is GM. Though South Africa can provide certified GM-free maize, it is more expensive than the maize produced in Malawi or Zambia, all of which is GM-free.
During a particularly severe drought in 2002, Zimbabwe said they would allow imports of GM food aid only in milled form, as this eliminated the risk of grain germination and limited possible contamination of local varieties.
The price hikes have also affected poultry farming in Zimbabwe. Mungate said the poultry industry has become a major source of livelihood for the poor and for communal farmers.
But sixty percent of the feed for poultry is derived from maize, and the increasing maize cost has caused feed prices to climb between two and five percent. The livestock feed industry said it needs 40,000 tons of maize between February and the next harvest to meet demand.
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http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97588/Maize-shortage-renews-debate-over-GM-in-Zimbabwe
